1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to snowboard bindings, in particular, snowboard bindings including conical or sloping boot retaining elements for guiding a boot into the snowboard binding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a large number of snowboard bindings, the boot is inserted in the binding and secured on the snowboard by loop straps which can be undone and adjusted in length. The boot is forced into its desired position on the standing surface by the loosening and tightening of the loop straps. The adjustment is cumbersome, and could result in seating that is not centered on the standing surface.
Many bindings come in the form of step-in bindings, which automatically fix the boot to the binding when the boot is positioned correctly on the standing surface. The boot is then pressed vertically downward into the binding, so that the binding boot retaining elements lock the boot to the binding surface. A hand grip is used to actuate the boot retaining elements, so that the boot can be brought into a released position in order for it to be possible for the boot to be raised out of the binding.
In some cases, there is provided a binding/boot combination for snowboards, in which the binding side boot retaining elements and locking units interact in the positively locking manner with mating locking parts arranged on the longitudinal sides of the boot. In the locking state, the binding is essentially fixed to the mating locking parts on the boot to the snowboard.
WO Patent No. 94/16784 discloses a device having a relatively small plate part arranged on the sole of a boot in the mid-foot region. The plate is rectangular in form and it includes shorter edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the boot, which interact as mating locking parts with binding-side boot-retaining and locking units. The plate is connected fixedly to a comparatively rigid foot shell of the boot, which results in the retainment of the boot on the snowboard, despite the small anchoring base of the boot on the binding.
DE-U 94 133 356 discloses a binding/boot combination in which the binding grips the boot in the heel region, beneath the heel, by way of two lateral pivot hooks. The ends of the hooks are designed in the manner of locking noses, and engage in lateral depressions which are arranged as mating locking elements on the heel region of the boot. In the toe region or ball of the foot region of the boot sole, there is a transverse web which is pushed into a fixed hook-like securing means of the binding when the snowboarder introduces the boot into the binding. This securing means in the front region of the boot, serves for increasing the fastening base of the boot on the binding. On the other hand, when the transverse web is, pushed into the hook-like securing means, the boot is more or less forced into a position in which the locking noses of the binding-side pivot hooks can engage in the boot side depressions. As a result, this makes it easier to find the locking position in the boot in the binding.
None of the prior art devices ensure particularly centering and support against torsional forces. None of the prior art devices include guiding means that make it easy to introduce the boot into the binding, while allowing free configuration of the boot sole. Further, none of the devices aid the guidance of the boot as it advances vertically toward the standing surface, even when the plane of the sole is essentially parallel to the standing surface, and guides the boot sole into its desired position for fixing the boot sole to the binding, while restricting the boot increasingly in the longitudinal and transverse directions as the boot becomes closer to the standing surface.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a snowboard binding having guide apparatus or guide means comprised of a first and second proturbance. The proturbances are conical in shape and are provided as introduction aids that can interact with concavities on the boot flanks or boot borders of a boot, in particular in the mid-foot region.
The conical protuberances, in particular in the case of step-in bindings, make it considerably easier to reach the desired fixed position of a snowboard boot when fixed in a binding. A large amount of freedom is provided for arranging binding side locking elements and boot side mating locking parts that interact with one another for fixing the boot to the binding. In particular, the locking elements and mating locking parts can be arranged at positions which are barely visible, if at all, from above as the boot is introduced into the binding.
The invention makes it possible to introduce boots with narrow soles and sole borders, which more or less cannot be seen from above. This provides the advantage that the snowboarder can walk normally in the boots without there being any risk of stumbling.
In accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention, snowboard side protuberances, which are provided as introduction aids, can interact with concavities on the boot flanks or boot borders, particular in the mid-foot region.
In the case of a binding boot combination for snowboards, where the binding side boot retaining and locking units interact in a positively locking manner with mating locking parts on the boot, two mating locking parts which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the boot and include an indent from between them are arranged on each longitudinal side of the boot. The boot retaining and locking units engage in the indents in a positively locking manner by the way of protuberances or noses having a conical shape. The protuberances make it possible to fix the mating locking parts at least vertically by the way of movable locking elements and/or mating locking parts, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the boot, or mating locking parts arranged on each longitudinal side of the boot interact in a positively locking manner on each side of the boot by way of stop-like guides. The stop-like guides ensure that the boot is fixed in the longitudinal direction and transverse directions in the process. This also makes it possible to fix the mating locking parts vertically by way of locking elements.
The guide means on the binding interact with the boot to introduce the boot into the binding. The longitudinal axis and the transverse axis of the boot are forceably guided and/or aligned in accordance with the desired locking position.
The indents and protuberances, which are provided according to the invention for this purpose, can easily be brought into their engagement position relative to one another, since the protuberances always remain easily visible from the sides of the respective boot. The mating locking parts arranged beside the indents can also be seen easily, even when the mating locking parts do not project from the sole border or the side surfaces of the boot. Slightly tilting the foot sideways in the snow boot make it possible for the position of the mating locking parts relative to the associated protuberances of the binding to be seen easily.
Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous that the stop-like guides in conjunction with the mating locking parts and/or their elements in conjunction with corresponding binding side protrusions, which may be designed as a continuation of the protuberances, can fix the boot in the locking position firmly in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The locking elements of the binding, which interact with the boot side mating locking parts, assume the task of fixing the mating locking parts and the boot in the vertical direction.
In this context, there is provided the additional advantage that, overall play free securing of the boot can be ensured since the boot retaining and locking units fix the boot at a total of four points. In a plain view of the snowboard, the corners of a quadralateral are formed extending on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the boot. Good centering of the boot in the binding is the result. The actions of the protuberances engaging in the indents and/or the mating locking parts or their elements against the guides have an additional centering effect.
According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mating locking parts on the boots may be offset to the rear relative to a central region between the heel and ball of the foot, into a region which, in normal shoes or boots is occupied by the heel. It is possible for the mating locking parts to be arranged on a rigid heel-side structural part for the rest of the boot to be a very flexible design.
An object of the invention is to provide a snowboard binding that includes an introduction aid for guiding the snowboard boot into the binding as it advances vertically toward the standing surface.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a snowboard boot binding that ensures particularly good centering and support against torsional forces, while maintaining easy insertion of the snowboard boot into the binding.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a snowboard boot binding that achieves the above stated objects, with respect to a binding having locking members that engage locking parts on a boot sole, while also providing the above stated objects with a snowboard binding having locking parts for engaging the sides of a boot sole.
Another object of the invention is to provide a snowboard binding that is easy to operate.
These and other objects will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment taken together with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.